The upcoming title Saints Row IV has been refused classification in Australia, thus banning it.

It seems as if even with new R18+ game legislation, this title has still been deemed too offensive for Australian gamers.

According to a statement made by the Australian Classification Board, "Saints Row IV, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context. In addition, the game includes elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines."

This makes it the very first game to be banned with the R18+ video game rating in place.

By the looks of things, this R18+ rating may just cover titles that would otherwise have just been rated MA15+, with game banning still very much intact. Or at least this is what I'm now wondering. I really and truly wouldn't put it past Australia to do such things.

In a statement made to Joystiq, the publisher Deep Silver made the following comment:

"Deep Silver can confirm that Saints Row IV was denied an age classification in Australia. Volition, the developer, are reworking some of the code to create a version of the game for this territory by removing the content which could cause offence without reducing the outlandish gameplay that Saints Row fans know and love." - Essentially, they're censoring it.